


Willpower

by Kuraagins



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Theatre, James Madison is trans, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, but like.... No one makes a big deal out of it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-20 02:49:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9472217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuraagins/pseuds/Kuraagins
Summary: Alexander Hamilton is attending his dream theatre school in New York City, but of course with drama schools come dramatic people, and the situation isn't helped as he falls for his new friend and is cast as the lead in the show. And of course his love interest just has to be the boyfriend of Alex's infuriating enemy.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Hamilton fic and I tell you I'm excited. Please feel free to give me any constructive criticism (but pls don't be too harsh I am v fragile) and I'm working with what google's giving me for details about American high schools since I'm British, so please correct me if I get anything wrong!! I also have a tumblr where u can hmu if you want, it's @she-d-be-lying. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

You know what doesn't help nerves? Silence. Silence so thick that it could suffocate a man. And Alexander sure did feel like he was suffocating, alone, in that compact waiting room. Earlier on, there had been a young boy in the room with him (presumably a freshman), but he had soon been called in for his audition, and Alex had been left alone. His only companions being the ticking of the tiny clock on the wall, his monologue written on a crumpled up piece of paper to prompt himself before going in, and his thoughts. 

So all in all, not the best company. 

Moving all the way from Virginia had put Alex in the awkward position of having to reapply to high school and he was pessimistic about there being enough room for him, considering that he was applying for a place in his junior year. His foster parents had assured him that he would easily win the school board over with his words. They believed that he could write a soliloquy about a field of flowers and a beating sun and preform it in a barren, frozen wasteland so convincingly that his audience would truly be able to see the vibrant violet of the flowers and feel the blazing beams from the sun. Alex hoped that they were right. They had only been in New York for three weeks and summer was already drawing to a close. Thus he had barely moved from his room to ensure that his application letters and audition pieces were perfect. 

Fordham High was Alex's first choice school. He had wanted to go there ever since his father George had told him about the move. Alexander had immediately begun research on New York City theatre schools, and he had stumbled across the website for Fordham High. On the homepage there had been a video, and he had clicked on it out of interest. It was a young man, named Aaron Burr according to the video's caption, delivering one of Lady Macbeth's soliloquies, and Alex was instantaneously inspired, captivated by the way that the man moved and spoke. It was truly like Alexander had gone back in time and was watching the real Lady Macbeth speak. Grant had already ignited him with only a few lines, and made his heart wrench as he cried out: "what, will these hands ne'er be clean?" 

This school was where he wanted- no, needed to be! If he could be surrounded by people like this, then he could thrive as an actor and bring out his full potential. He knew this was where he needed to go to make his mother proud of him. 

Growing up in the Caribbean, Alexander and his mother didn't have much money. His father would hardly ever visit, let alone pay child support, and his mother was frail and prone to sickness, swaying potential employers away from hiring her. But Rachel Faucette made sure to always have five dollars stashed away for Alexander to go to acting class every week. It was his passion, and Rachel had always urged him to follow his dreams. 

"Go to America, Alexander," she had whispered to him, lying there, pale faced in her own sick, "get off this godforsaken island and become the great actor I know you are." And then she had coughed a lot, spots of red in her phlegm. 

And then she stopped. And then she didn't move again. 

Alexander did get off that island. After a hurricane hit Nevis, the community recognised Alexander's talent and took up a collection to pay for a flight to America for him and his father. The first thing James Hamilton did when they stepped off that flight was chuck Alex into foster care. 

"Your mother was deluded. You'll never be some great actor. You'll always be a bastard, and a son of a whore." 

Those were his father's last words to his 13 year old son.

At first he was terrified, there were kids in that foster home that had been there for years and years, but it was a stroke of luck that almost immediately Senator George Washington and his wife Martha visited the home. Mr Washington liked Alexander's passion and determination, and after a six months of visiting they took the young boy back with them to their home on amount Vernon.

Alexander would never forget his mother, but living with the Washingtons was like having a second chance at life. No more destructive hurricanes or sweeping sicknesses, just comfort and happiness as the son of a senator. 

It was a little embarrassing to admit his passion to his foster parents at first, but they were instantly just as enthusiastic about him chasing his dreams as his mother was. The only reason they weren't sitting with Alex in this waiting room was because he had insisted that they stay at home, he had told them that he didn't want to look like he was being babysat in front of the other kids auditioning. Now that he was here and there was no one else in the room though, Alexander kind of wished that he had George Washington sitting next to him. 

Fidgeting in his seat, he went to unfold the yellowed, crumpled piece of paper in his sweaty palms, only to drop it on the floor in surprise as the hallway door was flung open so hard it crashed against the wall. Another young man about Alex's age hurtled himself in the room, stopping immediately as he noticed Alex-who was currently taking up three seats with his crossed legs-and his freckled cheeks flushed a dark pink colour. 

"Oh shit, I'm sorry! I didn't realise anyone would be in here," he chuckled nervously, his hand moving to his neck where he began to instinctively play with the ends of his long, curly hair. 

"Uh, it's just me," Alexander mumbled, moving his legs off the seats and bending over to pick up his piece of paper, "I'm waiting for my audition," he gestured slightly towards to door into the theater, trying not to stare at the boy, but trying not to look away for so long it would seem rude. 

"Oh, right! I didn't know they were still auditioning, I thought they finished weeks ago, but maybe that was just for dancers," the boy gave him a kind grin that made Alex's stomach flip. 

"Is that not why you're here the then? The way you ran in you looked like you were late or something," Alex asked, and cursed himself internally because that last part came out much ruder than he intended it too. 

"Nope, I'm already in! I mean, I'm in my junior year so I went through what you're going through two years ago," 

'I'm a junior too!' Alexander thought stubbornly, but decided not to let his pride get the best of him and scare the boy off. He had done that with many people beforehand, which is probably why he'd never had a group of friends before; people tended to think he was an arrogant prick. 

"My mom's one of the dance teachers here," he continued, "she came in today to do some lesson plans or something, and I came with her to brush up some of my dance skills from last year," 

"So you're a dancer then?" Alexander inquired, shifting forward slightly and noticing just how cute the boy actually was. 

"Well I'm an actor mostly, but I done dance outside of school for years, it really helps for my musical theatre stuff! But er, as you can see I'm not really in dance attire right now," 

"Yeah I can see," Alex grinned. 

"Well I was getting changed but then... Okay this is gonna sound like a really weird question but you wouldn't happen to have seen a cat and or turtle by any chance, would you?" The boy shuffled his feet in embarrassment as he blurted out the question. 

"I don't... Think so?" He said, trying not to sound too confused by the odd question. 

"I'm not weird I swear! Mr Schuyler has a cat that he always seems to bring to school with him," the freckled dancer explained defensively, "and the cat nabbed my- my little brother's toy turtle out of my bag and I'm looking for it," 

Alexander didn't dare ask why a sixteen year old boy would have a toy turtle in his bag. Frankly, he found it rather endearing. 

"I'll definitely keep a lookout," he promised. 

"Thanks! Oh, and I'm John Laurens by the way," John beamed, his face lighting up in a way that was definitely not making Alexander Faucette blush. 

"Alexander Hamilton," Alex introduced, reaching forward to shake John's hand. As their hands came into contact Alexander was incredibly embarrassed at the first-extremely sappy-thought that came into his head. 

'Our hands fit perfectly together,' 

They let go after a what felt the most flirtatious handshake Alex had ever given, and John scanned the room one last time to attempt to discern any sign of this Mr Schuyler's cat or his brother's missing turtle, before walking backwards towards the door, giving Alexander an adorably shy grin. 

"Good luck with your audition Alexander, I'm sure you'll wow them! And we might even have some classes together too this semester, I hear they're gonna start doing mixed grade dance classes," 

"I am a junior you know," Alex blurted out, hoping that he didn't sound too rude or judgemental.

"Oh my god," John blushed, bringing a hand up to his face in embarrassment, "I thought that you looked a bit old for a freshman but I didn't want to say anything in case I offended you or-" 

"Alexander Hamilton?" The young boy from before asked as he closed the theatre door behind him. Alex look at him and gave a little nod, his stomach twisting as he realised this was it. 

"They're ready for you in there," the kid clarified, before scuttling past John and leaving. 

"Uh well, good luck Alexander!" John gushed, "I- I really do think you'll do great,"

"Thank you John," Alex smiled.

"I'll see you around," John added as he fumbled with the door handle and left Alex alone once again. 

"I hope so," Alexander whispered, hoping for the slim chance that John was still in earshot. 

\--------------------

"Alexander honey, there's a letter here for you!" Martha Washington called upstairs to her foster son. 

"Mom I'll be down in a sec! I just gotta finish off writing my appeals!" Alex shouted back. Although it had been less than a week since his first audition, Alexander was convinced he hadn't gotten in anywhere, and had begun to write his appeals in advance. 

"I really think you should come look at it now!" Martha shouted. 

Alexander huffed and got up from his desk, half jogging down that stairs so that he could see what was so important and get back to his essay. 

"What is it mom?" He asked, trying not to sound too exasperated. 

Martha didn't say anything, just held out the letter towards her son with an excited grin on her face. 

Alex took the letter, eyes going wide as soon as he saw the stamp on the envelope. It was from Fordham High,

"Go on, Alexander dear, open it," Martha prompted her sixteen year old son at his hesitation. 

"what.... What if it's a rejection letter?" Alexander murmured, fingers trembling, "I only did my auditioned five days ago," 

"Maybe that means that they loved it so much they couldn't wait to offer you a place," Martha chuckled softly, offering Alex a soft smile. She knew how much this school meant to her son, and Martha was always the optimist, unlike her realist husband. 

Alexander took a deep breath and nervously fumbled with the envelope, tearing it messily. One that was out of the way he yanked the letter out and pulled it open, his eyes immediately landing on a certain phrase; 

"We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Fordham high." 

Frozen in place, Alex read the phrase over and over, and then he read his name at the top of the letter ten times to make sure that it had definitely been sent to the right person. 

"Oh, honey..." Martha whispered, taking his silence for disappointment.

"Mom I..." Alex started, the words getting lodged in his throat in disbelief. 

"I know Alexander, I'm so s-" 

"Mom I- I got in," he managed to get out. 

"What?" Martha asked quietly. 

"I got in mom!" Alex shouted, finally processing that he was going to Fordham high! 

"Alexander!" His mother shrieked with pride. The pair threw themselves into a hug, holding onto each other with a vice grip, the letter being dropped to the floor. Alexander was almost jumping with excitement, and Martha actually was. "Oh just wait until your father finds out! He's going to going to be so proud of you Alexander!" 

A million thoughts were rushing through Alexander's head. He was going to Fordham, he could meet Aaron Burr, he would see John Laurens again, he could better himself and become the best goddamn actor the whole of America- no, the whole of the world had ever seen! He could start afresh, rid himself of all of his past schools where he would be constantly teased by jocks that would call him a faggot for pursuing his passion and teachers that would berate him, insisting that he was far too smart to become an actor. Life had given Alexander another fresh start, and he was thankful for it. 

'If your watching mom,' Alexander thought to himself, 'I love you so much. I'll make you proud. I promise.' 

When George Washington came home from work, he didn't even know what was going on as both Martha and Alexander rushed to the door to greet him, immediately blurting out the news in barely coherent shouts. 

"What's all this then?" George chuckled. 

"Dad I got into Fordham!" Alex yelled, waving the letter in his father's face. 

The young boy was grinning wider than his foster father had seen him grin in a long time, and so much energy was radiating off the kid he was practically vibrating. The positivity couldn't help but rub off on Mr Washington, making him calm after a hard day at work. And as soon as he could process what was going on with the letter in his hands, George broke out in a grin of his own, pulling his son into a firm embrace. 

"I'm so proud of you son," George told him, looking into Alexander's eyes with pure happiness, "you'll blow them all away," 

And for the first time in forever Alexander was wholeheartedly convinced by what his foster father was saying to him.


End file.
